


Broken Laughter

by FantasyIntoReality



Category: Creepypasta - Fandom
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-26
Updated: 2017-06-18
Packaged: 2018-10-24 08:05:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10737576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FantasyIntoReality/pseuds/FantasyIntoReality
Summary: I was fine. No, I was more than fine. I was happy. They were coming for a visit, but Julie...dragged something with her. A monster. I had to save her. If I had left her alone with that psycho clown any longer, she would have died. Now, I'm paying the price.Laughing JackxOC I do not own Jack.





	1. Visits

I rushed excitedly down the stairs to the front door and threw it open. My uncle, aunt, and four little cousins rushed in, bombarding me with hugs.  
"I missed you guys!" I smiled, picking up my smallest cousin, Julie, spinning her around. She laughed in my arms and wrapped them around my neck. I set her down before I got too dizzy, my dad coming into the room to say hello. My brother, as always, was holing up in his bedroom playing video games. Dead to the world. 

All day we lounged around the house, sharing stories and catching up. My little cousins and I went outside a few times, admiring the trees and speaking loudly in the cool air. They were happy, seeing as they lived in a desert with nothing but each other to keep them company. My family moved to the mountains and went hiking into the dense forest every weekend. I loved it, but later those tall, green trees would darken as I realized what was happening.

During dinner everyone sat around the living room. I was on the floor with Julie, Sam, and Beth. Kyle was sitting with my brother. Julie was comfy in my lap, her small fingers scooping little pieces of chicken into her mouth.  
"So, Julie," I started. "Have you begun school yet?" She shook her head, her hair brushing my chin.  
"Make any friends at least?" Of course, if she didn't have school I thought she didn't have friends, either. However, she surprised me.  
"Yes! He's really nice! And he gives me candy!" Her attitude was the most cheerful I've heard. She turned to me, a smile on her lips. I returned it.  
"Really? What's his name?"  
"LJ!"  
"What does that stand for?"  
"Laughing Jack!"  
I was not prepared for that.  
I tried to convince myself she heard it from one of her siblings. He was probably an imaginary friend that was based off of a real character. Hopefully.  
"Jack, huh?"  
"Yep."  
"What kind of candy does he give you?" Immediately she jumped up and shoved her hands in her pocket. My heart beat faster and I furrowed my brows. She really got a piece of candy from him?  
She pulled out the strangest looking lollipop I've ever seen. The stick was pink and the sucker itself was wrapped in plastic. It was in the shape of a heart. There were layers of color going towards the middle. Pink, blue, purple, green, yellow, orange. The fact that she knew about this creepy character and got candy from him unnerved me.  
I frowned, handing it back. As she stuffed it carelessly back into her pocket, her eyes locked onto something tall behind me. She giggled and then ran outside to play. My heart sped up as I turned around. There was nothing.


	2. Creepy Surprises

The incident with Julie wouldn't leave me. It haunted my thoughts until it was time for bed. As I went upstairs to the loft, my room, Julie and Beth grabbed their things and followed me. My bed was a trundle. I pulled the second one out for them as they gazed in wonder at my porcelain dolls on my shelf. Beth wandered over and plopped on the mattress. Julie came up to me, smiling.  
"Jack said he wants to talk to you." she said. My heart stopped. I looked down at her, my thoughts racing and worry flooding my system. I had to remind myself to calm down. I let a weary smile lift my lips.  
"Does he now? Why is that?" She lifted her arms and I picked her up, sitting on my bed.  
"He says he likes you. He wants to give you candy too!" she giggled. My chest tightened. Leaning down, I placed her beside Beth, who already fell asleep. She looked up at me.  
"He said he wants to be your friend." She grinned up at me again, burrowing under the covers.  
"Well," I began, "Tell him It would be my pleasure." I smiled again, tucking her in.  
"Okay!" she chirped, cuddling with her stuffed caterpillar. I smiled down at her, unease still churning in my stomach. I lifted my blankets and got comfortable. What would my dreams bring me tonight?

"What the hell?" I said aloud. I looked around in confusion. There were colorful striped tents everywhere, but they seemed to be weathered to rags. Empty, crumbling game booths stood alone, their roofs sagging from constant rain. The sky was dark and threatened a storm, and thunder rumbled in the distance. The wind picked up as I rubbed my arms. I was wearing a tank top along with a pair of pajama shorts.  
"What kind of dream is this?" I was used to lucid dreaming, so I would be able to control it. But never in any of my dreams did I actually feel the cold wind lift my hair or nip my cheeks. I began to walk through the maze of abandoned, dirty tents. After about three minutes of aimless wandering, a tune was carried to me in the breeze. It was high-pitched, like music box. I immediately recognized it. The old nursery rhyme; Pop Goes the Weasel.  
"Fuck." I whirled around, knowing who was controlling this nightmare, then sprinted into a dark tent. I almost tripped over a glass bottle, but I managed to hide behind a large pile of brittle boxes. I sat there for a good minute, my back to a crate and my ears straining to hear anything else.  
"Gwen~" a dark voice called. It sent shivers down my spine and my heart sped up.  
I held my breath.  
"Ohhh Gwen~" The voice got closer. Eventually I could hear his heavy footfalls. They approached at a steady pace then stopped.  
Right outside my tent.  
Panic clenched my chest as I struggled to breathe quietly, but since there was absolutely no sound except the whistling wind outside, I felt as though every breath I took was as loud as a fog horn. A low chuckle emitted from right outside my hidey-hole, and I knew he sensed I was there.  
"Gwen~ let's play a game." The footsteps got closer. I was shaking from fear, then screamed when the boxes were all hurled against the other side of the room with a loud CRASH.  
"Boo." a voice whispered in my ear. I immediately sprung up and dodged his swinging arm. He laughed insanely as I bolted out of the tent and down the little path, only coming to a stop when a figure blocked my way.  
It was him.  
Laughing Jack.  
"Ohh~ why do you run so?" He chuckled, stepping closer. His voice was like a dark melody, and he giggled at the ends of his sentences. His eyes were a hypnotizing grey color, freezing me in my spot like a snake charming its prey. My feet were rooted to the ground, and my heart was beating faster, blood rushing past my ears.  
"L-let me go." I stammered. I hated that my voice cracked. I didn't want to let him know he scared me. As he drew agonizingly nearer, I could see his features more clearly. There was dried blood on his claw-like fingers, and his long black hair looked like straw. His teeth were pointed, like a sharks. He even had a little soul patch going on. I didn't know how Julie didn't find it frightening.  
"That little cousin of yours is cute. Believe anything she's told." He laughed. Suspiciously, I wondered what he was getting at. I remained quiet.  
"She's so sweet, too. 'Jack, will you tell me a story?''Jack, can I play with your hair?''Jack, do you want a piece of candy?'" he mocked, his voice high when copying Julie. Anger began to fill my chest.  
"You leave her alone! You have no business with her or her siblings!"  
"Ohh~ and what are you going to do about it?" He was close enough now I could smell him. His scent was like a candy store that someone shot up. Sweet and metallic. I gagged.  
"I-" I couldn't think of an answer.  
Then it hit me.  
"Let's make a deal."  
He was quiet, a look of disbelief apparent on his pale face. Then he busted out laughing. He keeled over, holding his stomach. His black lips stretched wide into a grin, tears forming in his grey eyes. Agitated, I waited patiently until he was done. It took a few minutes.  
"Y-you want to m-make a deal with- ME?" Jack giggled between words. By now he was standing up again, his long striped arms hanging loosely at his side. His eyes found mine again, the color of storm clouds. He lifted a claw and took my chin. He leaned in and I could smell his breath.  
"Why would you possibly want to make a deal with me?" he questioned. My breathing hitched in my throat.  
"T-to save Julie."  
"You think you can save her, do you?" his smile mocked me, his lips pulled back to show his mouth of sharp teeth. Probably used for tearing children apart. I will NOT let that happen to Julie.  
"Take me instead." I whispered. His smile fell. Jack let go of me and stepped away. He turned, clasping his hands behind his back. He was like that for a minute. Thunder rumbled right on top of us as rain began to fall from the sky. It soaked me to the bone in the few moments Jack was turned. Then he was in front of me again. He was holding his hand out to me.  
"I will not cause harm to your little cousin, but to you. You are my new little toy. Do we have a deal?" His eyes bore into my soul, searing it with his insane aura. I was about to make a deal with the devil. I closed my eyes, inhaling deeply through my nose, the smell of wet earth filling my lungs.  
"Deal." I took his hand. We shook, then he laughed maniacally, suddenly yanking me to him. His eyes turned a deadly red, then I was falling. The circus disappeared, the sky, the rain.  
All I could think of was Julie.  
"I'm sorry."


	3. "He's gone."

I woke up with a start, sweat soaking my clothes. Or was it the rain? I pulled at my shirt. My hair was drenched, too. I picked at the locks that were dripping wet. It was real.  
"Oh my God."

For breakfast we went to Denny's. Everyone got either a heaping stack of pancakes or a bacon-egg omelet. Julie was sitting beside me, just tall enough to reach her plate. As I was tearing my bacon in half she looked up at me, a frown upon her lips.  
"Jack is gone." Memories from last night's dream flashed across my mind. I wiped my greasy fingers on my jeans.  
"Well, maybe he's taking a vacation, Julie." I tried to keep my voice level, so as not to hint I had anything to do with his disappearance. When I glanced down at her, tears were filling her brown orbs. My heart broke.  
"B-but Jack never goes on vacation. He t-told me!" Her bottom lip trembled. I pulled her into my lap.  
"Maybe Jack needs a break. How long have you guys been friends, anyway?" I stroked her hair out of her face.  
"I don't know. A long time.." She crawled out of my lap back to her spot, sitting on her legs. She reached for her fork and began to nibble on her eggs. Her brows were furrowed, probably trying to come up with the reason of that monster's departure. Thank God Jack is gone.  
For now.

All day we were hiking up the dense mountain trails. Everyone had their own bag of food and necessities hunched on their backs. It was pretty fun to explore the forest with my family, of whom I never got the privilege of visiting. We found some cool bugs to look at, and we had to stop Kyle from sticking a worm in his pocket. Eventually, my dad sat down with my brother on a stump and announced it was time for lunch. I sat alone, munching on my ham and cheese sandwich. My eyes followed the swaying patterns of the sunlight that filtered in through the leaves. It was quite a peaceful place to be; no cars, no cities, and if I tuned out my loud little cousins, I could pretend I was alone.  
But, unfortunately, good things have to come to an end.  
I was admiring a little patch of clover by my boots when a small thud made me look up. A mountain bluebird lay motionless beside my bag, it's pretty feathers stained an ugly red. It's eyes were now empty, bloody sockets. The stench of death was horrid. I scrambled up and darted behind a tree to vomit my lunch. Aunt Stacy came over and held my hair.  
When I returned, my little brother and Kyle were poking it with a stick. They both got smacked.

On our way down the mountain, I ran to catch up with Stacy. We walked quietly for a minute. I mustered up the courage to ask her a question.  
"Um, has Julie been talking about anybody recently? Like a friend or something?" Way to go, I totally don't sound suspicious. She shot me a weird look.  
"Depends on who your talking about."  
"Well," I stepped over a large rock, thinking of what to say. "She's been going on about this guy named Jack a lot."  
Bingo.  
I watched as Aunt Stacy's face turned white, her mouth dropping open as she turned her brown eyes toward me.  
"You too?" Her voice was a deadly whisper. By now we both had stopped walking. I shifted uncomfortably. "What has she said about him?"  
"Well," my eyes darted to her face, to the ground, then to her face again. Worry lines creased her forehead. "She said that he gives her candy. That he plays with her and that he's really nice."  
"Bullshit." she snapped.  
I jumped. Anger had taken over her features. I narrowed my eyes in confusion. We began walking again.  
"This man...Jack. He has been giving her candy. She comes out of nowhere with it, but the other kids say they have no idea where it all comes from. Creepy stuff is happening at home. Things are moving, disappearing. Julie is starting to get an attitude, and she's only four!" Stacy shook her head. "I don't know what to do, Gwen. It's like there's someone else living in the house with us. She constantly talks about him. She acts like he's a celebrity or something. It's scaring me, Gwen." She turned to me, desperation glazing over her eyes. "What can I do?"  
"Uncle Bobby has noticed, right?"  
"Of course! He thinks our daughter just has a super strong imagination. He says it's an 'imaginary friend that she has feelings for.' Bullshit!"  
I bent my head in thought. My nightmare, Jack's disappearance, (maybe) the dead bird. Should I tell her?

I couldn't do it. I couldn't tell her. She would think I'm crazy, or that I let Julie's imagination get to me. But I did tell her that Laughing Jack is the guy she was talking about. She looked it up on her smart phone and was mortified to see that he killed people, well, kids, for a living. I convinced her that she probably heard it from someone else. Stacy's thinking about seeing a counselor. For Julie, of course.  
That night I was relieved to take a nice, hot, steamy shower. The thought of the hot water running down my back gave me goosebumps. When Dad opened the front door, I zipped up the stairs to my room and got my pajamas ready.  
"Getting in the shower!" I called, dashing back down the stairs and to the bathroom. I quickly undressed and brushed my hair in the mirror as I waited for the water to get hot. When it did, I stepped into it and let out a small moan. It felt as though all my worries and fears were being washed down the drain.  
I was rinsing the sweet smelling Cherry Blossom conditioner from my long hair when a cold chill ran up my spine. My eyes popped open. The sense that someone was watching paralyzed me. It was when the sharp feeling of a claw trailing up my thigh that I screamed.  
"GWEN! GWEN OPEN THIS DOOR!" A few seconds later the loud shouts from my father and his banging on the door urged me to get out and grab a towel. But I tripped over the edge of the tub and fell onto my knees with a loud BANG, yelling out when I caught myself. Not doubt there will be bruises.  
"DAD!" I called, and when I scrambled up a dark mass escaped my frantic vision, and a breath blew down my neck.  
"Gwen! UNLOCK THIS DOOR!" Dad kept yelling. I grabbed a towel and threw open the bathroom door. Dad pulled me into a bone-crushing hug then away, almost taking my towel with him. He stroked my soaked hair away from my red face.  
"Why did you scream? What happened? Was someone else in there-" he bombarded me.  
"No, Dad I'm okay. I got some soap in my eyes is all. I'm sorry," my voice cracked. He looked at me in disbelief. It probably sounded like I was dying in there, and I'm saying that I had problems rinsing my hair. He hugged me once more, told me never to lock the door again, then went back to reassure the frightened visitors. I nodded, closing the door to get dressed. As I lifted my hand from the knob, it suddenly occurred to me that I never locked the door. I never did. I glanced down at the knob. There was no lock.


	4. Not Just a Dream

My cousins were spending one more night, and the adults went out to a bar leaving me to babysit. Everyone was dressed in their night clothes and curled up in blankets. I just cooked a couple bags of popcorn and put on a movie in the living room. All the kids were huddled around me, giggling when Lightning McQueen began yelling at Bessie. I honestly wasn't paying attention. What happened an hour ago left me shaking.  
My hair was almost dry, and I played with the ends of it. Glancing down at Julie, I wondered what had drawn Jack to her in the first place. Was it the sparkle in her eyes, did he want to diminish it? Was it how young she was and her vulnerability? These thoughts kept me busy. Then another one occurred.  
Why did he agree to make the deal with me?

"Alright, guys. Time for bed." I turned on the living room light. A chorus of 'awwww's and whyyy?'s met my ears and I smiled. I shut off the TV and herded the girls to my room and the boys to my brothers'.  
"You can stay awake only if you keep quiet." I told them. They nodded then raced down the stairs. When I got to my room, I brushed Beth's and Julie's hair out. Julie had such pretty hair, curly and caramel. Beth's was different, short and frizzy. The color of clouded sunshine.  
As I placed my brush back in my bathroom, Julie popped her head around the corner. "Can you read me a story?" she asked. I shook my head.  
"No. You just watched a movie. It's past your bedtime, anyway." She pretended to sulk and I swept her into my arms, carrying her to the mattress while she screamed with laughter, and dropped her beside her sister. She giggled as I flipped off the light and climbed into bed.

I was back at the circus. Looking around in alarm, it wasn't long before I noticed a difference in the atmosphere. It was still chilled and eerie, yes, but it also felt...empty. Like it's caretaker had just up and left and never came back. Maybe Jack wasn't here. I let my eyes roam the tops of tents. Fog danced upon the roofs and swirled around the edges of the ferries wheel, making it seem as though they were breathing. Thunder rumbled in the distance and I began to walk around. I peered curiously into the rotting booths, imaging what it could have looked like when a little kid won a game. It was hard for me to believe this place was once full of fun, laughter and smiles. It was so grim now. What happened?  
"Well, I certainly didn't expect you to come back," a voice admitted. I slowly turned and saw Jack leaning casually on a fence post on the side of a blue and white tent. He flashed a smile that was, of course, filled with malice. His eyes weren't red anymore, though with unease I did see something else. I crossed my arms, masking the fear that began to constrict my chest.  
"Hello, Jack." I said through gritted teeth.  
"How's Julie? I heard that she misses me~" he giggled. The wind picked up his hair and blew the long black locks into his face.  
"She's fine. In fact, she's doing much better."  
"Oh~? That's good." Jack pulled his hair back casually, locking eyes with me. He suddenly grinned at me, his teeth glinting in the light. "Did you enjoy my little present?"  
Present? "What are you talking about?" I asked. I didn't notice any present...  
He dropped his arms, and with a start I realized he had fresh blood still dripping from his fingers. The silence droned on for what seemed like forever.  
"Who was it?" I whispered. I felt my face contorting uncontrollably into a look of terror and my eyes widened. I couldn't take me eyes off the red substance. Jack walked forward, flicking the blood from his claws with a bored expression on his face.  
"Some kid named Timmy. Real snob, spoiled to the core." he said. He stopped in front of me. "I'll ask again," he said, a dangerous tone in his voice. "How did you like my present?"  
"Wh-wha-" I stuttered. What the hell was he talking about? "If you're talking about that little bathroom trick, I hated that." I finished. I tried to regain my composure.  
Jack laughed, "Oh! No, I'm afraid that wasn't it. But, I admit, that was very entertaining." he giggled. He settled then turned serious again. Was this guy bipolar? "No. Try again."  
I raked my brain, trying to say something before he ran out of patience. I've never seen him this serious. I didn't want to know what happens when I piss him off too much. "Uh- the bird?" I threw the guess out there. It did make sense though, unless it got attacked by a hawk, I thought Jack did it.  
"Bingo!" Jack exclaimed. He was happy again, unsettling me to the bone. "How'd ya like it? I thought you loved those birds, so I gave one to you." his eyes brightened. He seemed almost sincere, like he actually wanted to please me.  
I backed away. This guy was demented. "Uh-" I was cut off by a piercing ringing in my head. I screeched and clamped my hands on my ears. Jack looked behind him, and snarled at some unseen being. My head began to swim and I saw Jack step menacingly to some tall black figure. He appeared to be yelling at it; he looked like he was to throw those fists he had clenched at his sides. My legs grew weak and I fell to the ground. The ringing didn't stop, and I slowly took my hands from my ears and looked in horror at the blood smeared all over my palms. Tears ran down my face and I looked up again, the figure was gone. Jack was looking at me, and I could've sworn I saw concern on his pale face. It was the last thing I saw before everything went dark.


	5. New

I was shaken awake by my dad. When I opened my eyes, his panic-stricken face stared down at me. I think there were tears forming in his eyes. I bolted up, which was dumb, because pangs of pain pounded my head and I got dizzy. He held my face for a moment then dragged me to the bathroom.  
"Woah- wha-?" I stammered. He shushed me and sat me down on the toilet. He hastily got the cloth from under the counter and wet it in the sink. While he did so, he was rambling incoherently. I peered past him and realized why he was freaking out so much. There was blood dripping from my ears, staining my favorite ICP shirt. I tore my eyes from the horrible sight and saw Julie and Beth in the doorway, watching silently as Dad began dabbing at my head. They both wore worried expressions on their faces, and I assumed that they were the ones who got Dad in the first place.  
Julie stepped forward, resting her hands on my knee. "Jack didn't do it." her eyes were terrifyingly empty for a child, and they swiveled to the window behind my dad.  
I followed and my breath hitched in my throat. Behind the tall pines in our backyard, standing tall enough to see clearly through my three-story window, a faceless figure stared at me. Shadows were cast upon it by the leaves, swaying back and forth. I couldn't take my eyes from it, fear constricted my chest and I felt like I was suffocating. The piercing ringing noise filled my head once again, and I cringed, trying not to give in and satisfy it. My dad was too busy fretting he didn't notice me. Finally, after a few minutes of struggling, I gave in, letting out a scream. My dad jumped, dropping the cloth on the floor. The sides of the blank face of the monster lifted, as if it was smiling. My dads terrified face swam in my vision and the lights grew dark.

I remember the lights, they were so bright. I rubbed my eyes with my knuckles and sat up, blinking multiple times to process the blurry dark blobs on the other side of the room. I felt groggy, like I've been asleep for ages. My arms felt like jello, and my head felt super heavy. Slowly, the blobs took shape and I saw my dad talking with a doctor. My little brother, Alan, was lounging in a chair. They were speaking in hushed whispers, but I could make out words like 'eardrum', 'insomnia', and 'surgery'. That last part freaked me out. After a few moments, the doctor glanced at me and excused himself. He left the room and quietly closed the door. Dad stood there for a moment, running his hand down his face. He came and settled in a chair beside the bed.  
"They say your eardrums are badly damaged, they don't know how. If it gets worse you'll need surgery.." Alan stood and leaned on the edge of the bed, trying to look bored instead of worried for his big sister. He began to fiddle with a frayed string from the blanket.   
"S-surgery?" I stuttered. I did not like the sound of that. Not one bit.


	6. Chapter 6

The doctors wanted to keep me for a night or two, just to monitor me in my sleep. It was incredibly boring. The only thing keeping me from flipping my shit was watching the nurses go in and out of my room. The best part of the day was lunch. They brought me a small tray of tasteless soup. There were strange grey chunks of what I presumed to be chicken, and mushy strings for noodles. The only reason it was the highlight of my day is because when I flung the 'chicken' at the door, it stuck. So did the noodles. It was fun as I tried to make faces with the food while the nurses weren't looking. At one point the doctor came in to check my progress, and when he turned to leave he kinda just stood there, staring at my chicken noodle art. He chuckled and left.


End file.
